136 - Rigging in to Steinschlagschacht
Sun 18 Jul 1999
Julian Haines
We put in another spit at the head of the 2nd pitch to make the ascent _much_ easier - no longer are you pulled into the narrowest bit of the slot by the pitch-head bolt. Also put a deviation about 10m below the head of the 2nd to remove a rub lower down. Just below the former 2nd rebelay (on 2nd pitch) was a _bad_ rub previously. This area is now littered with spits! I moved the rebelay bolt to the other wall which seems to have fixed the rub without the need for Andy A's deviation (from a _very_ shoddy spit).
Eventually arrived at the bottom of the Theatre and went for a look at the aven that I'd planned to climb. Unfortunately it wasn't quite as I'd remembered it!
Julian Haines
Packed 3 bags of rope (330m), 50 hangers and 10 slings and went caving. Two carries to the cave and much farting about later we eventually got underground about 5 pm! Rigging proceeded swiftly, which was just as well as it was already late.
A few things to note for next time:
- The web site says something like 60m for the entrance pitch and then 135m was "easily long enough - some spare cut off" for getting to the Eyehole. In fact when using pre-shrunk 10mm (new), the roll was barely long enough to reach the same place. [Previously I think we rigged with unshrunk rope and all the loops shrunk in situ].
- All the spits were well greased with matchsticks poking out. Easy to find, however difficult to screw bolts in because of the hydraulic pressure of the grease. Would be better in future to put much less grease in the spits.
We put in another spit at the head of the 2nd pitch to make the ascent _much_ easier - no longer are you pulled into the narrowest bit of the slot by the pitch-head bolt. Also put a deviation about 10m below the head of the 2nd to remove a rub lower down. Just below the former 2nd rebelay (on 2nd pitch) was a _bad_ rub previously. This area is now littered with spits! I moved the rebelay bolt to the other wall which seems to have fixed the rub without the need for Andy A's deviation (from a _very_ shoddy spit).
Eventually arrived at the bottom of the Theatre and went for a look at the aven that I'd planned to climb. Unfortunately it wasn't quite as I'd remembered it!